1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer system, and more particularly, to a computer system having a multi-operation system.
2. Background of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a general computer system. As shown in FIG. 1, the general computer system includes a CPU (central processing unit) 10; a video controller 11; a north bridge 12 for controlling a memory; a main memory 13; an I/O (input/output) controller 14; a south bridge 15 being an aggregation of registers managing input/output functions of peripheral devices; a HDD (hard disk drive) 16; a KBD (keyboard) controller 17 for recognizing a key signal provided from a key input part 19; and a BIOS ROM (basic input/output system read only memory) 18.
The computer system requires a booting time. The booting time is a time until the system reaches a user working condition after a power is supplied. Namely, if a system power is supplied, the CPU 10 performs a POST (power on self test) process using the BIOS. After that, initialization and test processes of the peripheral devices are performed, and a booting program is loaded to the main memory 13 from the HDD 16.
If the booting program is loaded to the main memory 13, the CPU 10 reads in and processes the booting program loaded to the main memory 13 to achieve a user working condition. Such a booting time tends to increase more and more as the computer system changes to the Windows OS (operating system) in its OS.
A computer system recently developed and brought to the market includes a function of performing a relatively simple operation such as playing a DVD (digital video disk) or an MP3 (MPEG audio layer-3) audio, by operating an embedded OS, even under an environment where a normal OS such as the Windows is not booted and executed. Such a function is called an IOF (instant-on-function).
Also, a hot key, i.e., an IOF key is added to the key input part 19 such as a keyboard. With the IOF key, a user can select and designate the IOF.
Therefore, a user can swiftly perform the IOF such as playing a DVD or an MP3 audio even without a normal OS by selectively inputting the IOF key with the computer system off. The operation of the IOF function will now be described with reference to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a prior art method for changing an OS in the computer system having a multi-OS (multiple operating systems). With the computer system off as shown FIG. 2, if a user selects and inputs the IOF key (block S10), a power source is supplied to the system. The keyboard controller 17 generates a key value that corresponds to the IOF key selected by the user and outputs the same to the BIOS ROM to read the BIOS.
In the meantime, the BIOS reads a specific program necessary for performing IOF (e.g., a Linux program) among a plurality of programs stored in advance in the HDD 16, and performs an operation of loading the specific program to the main memory 13 (block S11).
After the Linux program loaded to the main memory 13 is booted, an IOP (instant-on-player) is executed (block S12) to perform an operation of playing a DVD or an MP3 audio. If the IOF is terminated during execution of the IOP according to a request from a user (block S13), whether system off and system reset operations are requested, is checked (block S14). When the system off and system reset operations are not requested, the IOF is terminated (block S15).
On the contrary, when it is determined that the system off and system reset operations are requested as a result of checking (block S14), a series of system booting operations are preformed. In the system booting operations the computer system is reset and a normal OS stored in the HDD is read and uploaded to the main memory 13 (block S16). If the system is normally booted as described above, the normal OS is executed so that various relevant operations desired by a user may be performed (block S17). From blocks S15 and S17, the process ends.
However, as described above, the prior art computer system and method have various disadvantages. For example, according to the computer system of the prior art, there has been a problem that the system off and reset operations carried out by a user in order to use the normal operation again after the IOF is executed. Further, there has been a problem that a user should wait for a long time until a series of system booting operations in which booting is performed with a normal OS by completing system off and reset operations.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.